The likely result of the next General Election in Scotland is that the SNP will lose around 20 seats to Labour and a few to the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. If that happens the SNP might still just be the largest party in Scotland on around 25 seats, but it will no longer be the dominant force.
Alex Salmond has come back on the scene with a plan to unite the independence voters who are divided between the SNP, the Scottish Greens and Alba. But the mistake in this argument is that there is nothing to unite. Alba and the Scottish Greens only make sense in the context of Scottish Parliament elections with its combination of constituency and list seats.
There is a certain logic to independence supporters voting SNP in the constituency, but Scottish Greens or Alba in the list, but even that logic only works if the SNP maximises its constituency vote. But neither Alba nor the Scottish Greens are close to winning a Scottish constituency in a General Election. Independence supporters know that as well as everyone else, so what is the point of Alex Salmond’s pact?
If you want independence vote SNP. Lots of people on both sides of the argument vote for a party that has no chance of winning a seat. Why shouldn’t they? Some people will vote Alba or Scottish Greens, or Labour or Conservatives where they know their candidate has no chance of winning, others will vote tactically.
Alex Salmond’s pact is the same as a Pro UK pact. It would not gain that side of the argument but would instead cost it.
Jack’s Note: If Scotland ever gained it’s independence it would starve to death!
